A horrific case.
Growler rolled over and cuddled under the duvet.
"Oh dear, don't think Daddy wants his breakfast." Said food monster to their daughter.
"Daddy sleepy." She replied.
However, his quick snooze went far to quickly for his liking, he yawned and sipped some hot coffee that Food Monster had just brought up to him.
As Growler took in the warmness of the welcomed hot drink, his phone buzzed.
"Yeah Gibbs."
"Boss sorry to wake you, we have a case." Said a worried McGee
"Tim what is it.."
"A 6 year old kid boss."
"Damn" he cursed
"I'll send you both the address and see you there."
"Thanks Tim."
Hanging up he went about his morning routine, before walking down to see his girls. He smiled and hugged them both a little tighter.
"I saw' Whispered Food Monster, smoothing her Growler.
After dropping Caitlin at pre-school they went on their way to the crime scene.
When they arrived they saw a car and two bodies in the road.
Food Monster laid a hand on her Growlers leg. He squeezed her hand and took in a deep breath.
"McGee what do we know..."
"Morning, yeah a Captain Charles McKenna and his wife Sarah and their daughter Charlotte."
"Who called it in?"
"Local Leos doing a morning patrol, came across the scene at 06:00."
"Where is Charlotte?"
"Back seat. Looks like all three were shot in situ."
"Uh huh"
"Palmer is on his way."
"Thanks Tim" Gibbs uttered as he walked over to the car. He stood and took in the scene. He saw the body of 6 year old Charlotte strewn over the back seat, her arm stretched out. He couldn't be sure if she had tried to crawl out before the cowards shot her. But he broke protocol and with a gloved hand held hers.
Moments later a friendly hand touched his shoulder.
"We'll take it from here Jethro."
"Sorry Duck.."
Not even realising his friend wasn't meant to be here.
He then spotted Palmer bringing over the gurney not really taking anything in.
"Go back to base Jethro, give yourself a moment." Growler nodded and left the girl in the capable hands of his best friend.
"McGee and I are going over to the house."
"Good lets go, leave Torres to focus on this one."
A worried Ducky watched over him and messaged McGee.
In the car McGee's phone beeped
"What is it?" asked Growler trying to focus on the present.
"Just Ducky advising they have all three bodies and heading back."
Growler nodded.
McGee had covered well, the message had actually said "Watch him Timothy, this is too much like Kelly."
McGee silenced his phone for messages so that anymore wouldn't gain any attention.
Food Monster watched as her Growler entered the house
"This is what Ducky really said" McGee showed her the phone and she sighed.
"Let's hope this doesn't get any worse."
"Agreed."
Carrying their equipment in to the house, they couldn't see Growler in any of the downstairs rooms.
"Err Gibbs?" called out Food Monster,
"I'll check upstairs" she whispered
McGee nodded and kept at the bottom of the stairs in case there was someone else in the house.
Food Monster went quietly up the stairs and turned left when she saw the solid figure of her Growler just standing in a doorway.
"Hey Gibbs." She softly said
He just turned.
"Sorry."
Holding her hand, she then saw the interior of the room. It was brightly covered and had posters of horses up.
She cursed in her mind. Things had gotten worse.
"I'll do it why don't you go help McGee go through the post there seems to be a lot."
Growler just nodded and went downstairs. McGee had heard the conversation and was in the kitchen looking at the letters.
"Hey boss seems like we have a motive."
"What is it?" as McGee was holding up a letter
"Blackmail. $20,000 or they will release the documents."
"I'm guessing they tried to run.."
"Actually no that was the meeting place. I'll run their financials when we get back to base. See if the money was there or not."
"Any updates from Torres?"
"Torres says a witness at the gas station a mile down the road saw a black bike ride past just minutes before the shooting. So, will run the plates and get a bolo out."
"Good."
"Checked all the rooms, found this."
Food Monster had joined them downstairs and was holding up a shotgun.
"I'm guessing not registered?"
"Correct McGee, but there is a safe and I haven't been able to get into it."
"No clues?"
"Only a horse, looks like a sticker from the daughter."
"Show me," said Growler.
All three went up the stairs and into the master bedroom. In the wardrobe was the safe and sure enough was the horse.
"Try 6249"
Food Monster looked puzzled
"Age of Charlotte, race number and upside-down age."
"Okay. Here goes."
It clicked up and there was a lot of papers and envelopes. McGee grabbed an evidence bag once the photos had been taken. They carefully sealed it up.
They cleared the house and sealed the scene and were sat in the front of the car whilst McGee put the last of the evidence in the boot.
"If you're still wondering it was on the posters in her room." Growler said to a pretend shocked Food Monster.
"Thanks, makes sense. Now let's get back grab some food and find us a lead."
Back at base the team were tucking in to their lunch whilst going through the victim's backgrounds.
With a mouthful of burger "Update McGee"
"Sure boss, well it seems no money was taken from their American accounts."
"They have offshore?"
"Looks like the wife did, but I am having a hard time tracking them down."
"According to the wife records she is just a mom used to be a librarian, but nothing has popped not even a speeding ticket."
"Good. "
"We have some CCTV apparently that motorbike may not be as innocent as we think."
"Stolen three months ago, could be another crime.."
"Or someone checking the job got done." Replied Growler as he got up from his desk.
"Okay great work, keep digging. I'm going to autopsy."
In the elevator Growler took a deep breath, he knew the bodies would be down here and he would almost relieve the pain again. But for his life he really had to hold on.
"Ah Jethro."
"Duck"
"All shot, the bullets are with Kasie."
"Anything else."
"Yeah the young girl was sick, but they probably didn't know it yet."
"With?"
"Not sure but she had high white blood cell count. Tests are being done to narrow it down. And unfortunately, the wife was carrying their second child again early stages so she may have only just seen the symptoms."
Growler nodded.
"Why you here and not Palmer?"
"Conference for the director, I offered to lend a hand this morning so he could go when we got back."
"Glad you are looking after her duck."
"I know Jethro, go do your thing Jethro, your family needs you. She is safe."
"Thanks Duck."
The team crunched through the evidence, with a few leads to go on.
Growler called it a night around 8pm and they went home.
This was going to be a long case it seemed.
At home Growler and Food Monster settled in for a late dinner once little Miss over tired Food Monster had gone to bed. They sat and ate but Growler heard something outside.
"Motorbike, I think." Food Monster whispered tiredly
"Uh huh." He gave it a moment and went out to his truck to pretend to get something, He noticed the motorbike at the end of the street and instantly had his guard up.
He grabbed one of the bags and went in and locked the door.
"What?"
"Motorbike down end of the street. Plus there is something on our windscreen."
An envelope had been left on their windscreen, Growler wondered what was next.
"I could go to work I guess."
"Oh no you don't you are too tired."
"Any better ideas, otherwise we will lose the evidence, its going to rain later."
"I do have a plan... if you don't mind a visitor."
"Torres?"
"Yep, he can visit."
"Yep lets go with it. But tell him his favourite niece needs to sleep."
Food Monster smiled and nodded.
"Hey Nick, you awake enough to drive."
"I'm already out."
"Oh err we have a visitor someone has left evidence on Gibb's truck, but we have a watcher."
"No problem, I've got you. Im on the bike, I'll get something to bring. Be there in 10."
That was the longest 10 minutes. Growler paced and Food Monster tried to rest on the couch but even food wasn't an option.
A tap at the door finally
"Ah come on in." A relieved Growler said as he opened the door.
"Yeah here you go wearing his biker gloves and carrying a package as well as the envelope."
"Any sign?"
"Yeah it's the same one, they left but I heard them speak saying yeah come on get here I need to do the next job."
"Why stay?"
"Go put this on the windscreen quickly."
"Sure Gibbs." Torres did as he was told, he could hear a bike returning.
"How did you know?"
"They want to make sure we get it."
"What is it?" Both Food Monster and Torres said
They all looked at the photo which was of Food Monster with a target saying "Stay out of the case and your family will be safe."
"What todays case?"
"Yep."
"Holy hell we are dealing with some seriously bad people."
Growler rubbed his eyes; he was barely awake. Food Monster brought down some pillows and blankets.
"Thank" said Torres, as he put away his biking gloves into his kit bag.
"Right sleep. Come on otherwise we will never get these bastards."
And with that they went to bed.
I hope you have enjoyed part 1 of this new adventure for Growler and Food Monster. Thanks for reading x